Locke’s Mill

Virginia’s foliage was muted this weekend and still turning in places but I think this is a beautiful view.

Being here was the result of what we will refer to as a tangent. You see, I was driving somewhere when I got distracted by a sign to a town called Berryville. Intrigued by the name, I decided to follow the road to see for myself if it is as picturesque as the name suggests.

But then I found another tiny town with some cute things to photograph. After leaving there, I was serious about getting to Berryville but then there was this sign for a grist mill that indicated they were grinding that day.

I have visited grist mills before but had never seen one work so it seemed smart to go check it out.

Following the signs led to a few more stops before reaching this beautiful old mill. It’s called Locke’s Mill and it has existed on this site since the 18th century. Flooding damaged previous buildings and forced construction of this one a little further up the hill from the exact original site. The current structure was built in the 1860’s and has been recently restored.

I got a nice tour and explanation of the technology from this fellow named Roger and was able to buy some pancake mix that was made from buckwheat ground here.

I did eventually make it to Berryville despite all the tangents that captured my attention along the way. Honestly, I don’t recall much about the town except that it seemed nice.

I tell you this to illustrate a point. Sometimes the destination isn’t nearly so important as the journey. Enjoy the road there and you’ll never be disappointed at what you find when you arrive.